A MAJOR route linking Woodley with Earley is to be closed for more than two months to allow gasworks to take place.
From Monday, July 1, SGN is to carry out a five-month programme on Church Road to replace gas mains.
Wokingham Borough Council says it has ask SGN to carry out the bulk of the works during the school holidays as the area is close to four schools: Bulmershe secondary school, Earley St Peter’s and Highwood primary schools, and Addington school for children with additional needs.
This means the closure, between Mays Close and Woodlands Avenue, will affect the final weeks of term, but should be over in time for the start of the new school year in September.
However, motorists will be affected by the works as temporary traffic lights will be in place until November.
Bradley Barlow, spokesperson for gas distribution company SGN, said the works – and the road closures – were necessary, and had begun at the start of the month.
“We’re carrying out essential gas network upgrades in the Church Road area of Earley, replacing old metal gas mains with a new polyethylene pipe to enable us to continue to provide a safe and reliable gas supply for many years to come,” he said.
“Our trusted contractor I&G Contractors will be working on this project on our behalf.
“Work will be completed in different phases, with some carried out during the school summer holiday.
“As this work will take longer than the six-week school holidays, we are starting the work early to ensure that the traffic management will be removed by the start of the new school year.”
Mr Barlow said two gas mains on Church Road will be replaced, and the closure has been approved by Wokingham Borough Council.
“The timescale for these works is based on the time to replace this pipe safely. We must abide by safety rules when working in the road and the road closure is in place to ensure the safety of our engineers, road users and pedestrians,” he continued.
“Our works in Church Road are from the junction with Mays Close to the roundabout with Culver Lane. We have works on some of the side streets coming off Church Road and we cannot rule out further road closures depending on what is found when excavation starts.
“Residents will have access to their homes and parents will be able to complete the school run via the signed diversion.
“We’re sorry for any inconvenience our work may cause to the local community.”
And Chris Easton, assistant director for highways and transport at Wokingham Borough Council, also emphasised the importance of the works.
“The safety of our residents is our number one priority and these essential SGN works will ensure that a continued safe and reliable supply of gas is delivered to nearby homes and businesses,” he said.
“As always, we work with utility companies to minimise disruption as much as possible while keeping both our residents and their workforce safe.
“The closure will be in place for nine weeks between Mays Close and Woodlands Avenue as there are two gas mains which need replacing situated on either side of the road. Due to the layout of the gas network and the associated connections to properties, both gas mains require works to be done at the same time, meaning a full closure is required for this phase of the works.
“We requested that these works take place over the summer holidays. As the works requiring a closure are estimated to take around nine weeks, a decision has been made to start as soon as the school exams period has finished so that the section of the works that require road closure will be completed by the start of the new school year in September.
“The remainder of the works, between Woodlands Avenue and Pitts Lane, can be carried out with temporary traffic lights and is expected to be completed by the autumn.”
SGN have set up a project page on its website and will be sending out letters to residents and businesses within the area.
If you have any further questions you can contact SGN directly on 0800 912 1700.
The webpage is, at: https://www.sgn.co.uk/our-gas-works/major-planned-projects/earley-reading-church-road
